Gbagbo, Blé Goudé trial resumes at the ICC

After more than two weeks of suspension, the trial of Laurent Gbagbo and Charles Ble Goude resumes this Monday, March 7 at the International Criminal Court, The Hague.

Reprise du procès de Laurent #Gbagbo et Charles Blé Goudé devant la #CPI via https://t.co/Pyc5Oql7JL

— Muisyo® (@Muisyo_) March 7, 2016

The trial of Gbagbo, 70, and his firebrand youth militia leader Charles Ble Goude, 44, opened on January 28, and is set to last three to four years.

The two are being prosecuted for crimes against humanity for their alleged role in the post-election violence of 2010-2011 in the Ivory Coast. They have both pleaded not guilty.

The new week will be devoted to hearing the fifth prosecution witness, according to RFI.

However in addition to the usual confidentiality measures, the prosecution wants more vigilance after the names of four of its witnesses were mistakenly broadcast during the the second week of hearings.

RT FRANCE24: ICC judge apologises for Gbagbo witness blunder https://t.co/fbVoMPpzGK

— coalitionfortheicc (_CICC) February 8, 2016

The prosecution intends to present 138 witnesses, in addition to 10 thousand exhibits, RFI further reports. During the post-poll chaos, Gbagbo’s goal was to hang on to power at all costs, as explained by the prosecutor in the first day of the trial, arguing that it was demonstrated by the planned series of deadly attacks carried out by an organization of security forces, militias, mercenaries and youth movements.

Charles Ble Goude was at the heart of the inner circle that was fueling the chaos, according to the prosecutor.

According to RFI, Gbagbo’s side of defense lawyers denounced the ‘biased’ view of the crisis, accusing Alassane Ouattara of seizing power by force, with the support of France.

Charles Ble Goude on his part said: “No drop of blood cries out against me,” through one of his lawyers who presented him as a ‘man of peace’.